Manual breast pump with resilient return

ABSTRACT

A manual breast pump comprising a pump housing defining an inlet orifice, an outlet orifice, and a pump orifice all in fluid communication with one another, the pump housing including a pump chamber, a repositionable actuator disposed within the pump chamber and repositionable within the pump chamber between a retracted position and an extended position, and a resilient band concurrently mounted to the pump housing and operatively mounted to the repositionable actuator.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 61/366,645, entitled, “MANUAL BREAST PUMP WITHRESILIENT RETURN,” filed Jul. 22, 2010, the disclosure of which isincorporated herein by reference.

INTRODUCTION TO THE INVENTION

The present disclosure is directed to breast pumps and, specifically, tomanual breast pumps having an automatic return using a resilient return.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an elevated perspective view of an exemplary breast pump inaccordance with the instant disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a right side, profile view of the exemplary breast pump ofFIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the exemplary breast pump of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the exemplary breast pump of FIG. 2taken along a midline plane.

FIG. 5 is a right side, profile view of an alternate exemplary breastpump.

FIG. 6 is an elevated perspective view of the alternate exemplary breastpump of FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described andillustrated below to encompass manual breast pump devices and methods ofoperating and assembling a manual breast pump. Of course, it will beapparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that the embodimentsdiscussed below are exemplary in nature and may be reconfigured withoutdeparting from the scope and spirit of the present invention; However,for clarity and precision, the exemplary embodiments as discussed belowmay include optional steps, methods, and features that one of ordinaryskill should recognize as not being a requisite to fall within the scopeof the present invention.

Referencing FIGS. 1-4, an exemplary breast pump 100 includes a primaryhousing 102 that connects to a milk reservoir bottle 104 in order tostore milk withdrawn from a woman's breast. The primary housing 102includes a funnel 106 having a generally circular cross-section that ishollow and defines an enclosed fluid path for the milk to travel andultimately be deposited in the bottle 104. In exemplary form, the funnel106 decreases in diameter as the distance from the mouth 108 increases.Proximate the mouth 108, the funnel 106 includes a circular flange 110that provides a foothold for an elastomeric insert 112 that is seatedwithin the funnel. This elastomeric insert 112 is also funnel-shaped togenerally match the interior topography of funnel 106, but includes adistal lip 114 that includes a circumferential cavity that receives thecircular flange 110. In this manner, the lip 114 wraps around the flange110 to secure the insert 112 to the funnel 106. But the insert 112 isalso mounted to the funnel 106 by a compression fit formed between aproximal portion 116 of the insert and the funnel. Specifically, theproximal portion 116 includes a circular cross-section having a smoothexternal diameter that is slightly larger than the correspondinginternal smooth diameter of the funnel 106. Accordingly, when theproximal portion 116 is inserted fully into the funnel 106, the proximalportion is in compression and this creates a compression fit to alsosecure the insert 112 to the funnel.

A proximal portion 118 of the funnel 106 is constricted to direct milkthrough a central orifice 120 that is recessed below the mouth 108 ofthe funnel 106. The central orifice 120 is defined by a circumferentialflange 122 that extends perpendicularly from a cylindrical wall 124. Thecylindrical wall 124 defines a hollow, cylindrical conduit in selectivecommunication with the interior of the bottle 104. The selectivecommunication occurs, in part, from an elastomeric valve 126 thatcircumscribes the cylindrical wall 124 to form a seal between the valveand cylindrical wall. The valve 126 includes a cylindrical wall 128 thatjoins a perpendicular wall 130 and transitions into a bounded conduit132. The bounded conduit 132 includes a cylindrical wall 134 that joinstwo planar walls 136, 138 in order to taper the bounded conduit into aV-shaped profile at one end 140. But this V-shaped profile is not a trueV-shape because the end 140 does not include a rigid connection betweenthe planar walls. Rather, the planar walls are not continuously, rigidlyjoined at the end 140 because of a horizontal slit 142. This horizontalslit 142 allows milk to pass therethrough and into the interior of thebottle 104. As will be discussed in more detail hereafter, operation ofthe pump mechanism is operative to selectively force the two planarwalls 136, 138 against one another at the end 140 to effectively closeoff communication through the slit 142 with the piston is retracted.

In order to couple the primary housing 102 to the milk reservoir bottle104, the housing includes a shroud 150 that covers the top of thebottle. Specifically, the interior of the shroud 150 is threaded to matewith threads 152 on the exterior of the bottle neck 154 so that twistingof the bottle 106 with respect to the housing 102 is operative to engageand disengage the bottle from the housing. The bottle neck 154 isgenerally circular in horizontal cross-section and includes a generallyplanar upper, circumferential surface 156 that contacts a generallyplanar, upper interior surface of the shroud 150 in order to form a sealbetween the housing 102 and the bottle 104 when the bottle is fullysecured to the housing.

In order to withdraw milk from a woman's breast, the exemplary breastpump 100 creates an area of lower pressure proximate the breast using apump mechanism 160. The pump mechanism 160 includes a repositionablepiston 162 that draws in air through an orifice 164 and into a cavity ofthe housing that is defined by a cylindrical wall 166. By drawing airfrom the funnel 106 and through the orifice 164 while the woman's breastis sealed against the elastomeric insert 112, a lower pressure areaproximate the woman's breast is created. In order to draw in air fromwithin the funnel 106, the piston 162 is vertically repositionablewithin the cylindrical wall 166 away from the orifice 164 (i.e.,retracted).

The piston 162 includes a circumferential recess 168 proximate itsdistal end 170 that receives a piston ring 172 in order to form a sealbetween the piston and cylindrical wall 166. In this exemplaryembodiment, the piston ring is a resilient material such as, withoutlimitation, natural rubber, synthetic rubber, and other elastomericmaterials. A proximal end 174 of the piston includes a pair of parallel,vertical walls 176 that each include an elongated through opening 178.This elongated through opening 178 receives a solid, cylindricalprojection 180 extending from opposite sides of a pair of vertical walls182 that are spaced apart by perpendicular vertical wall 184 mounted toa handle 188. Each of the three vertical walls 182, 184 extend from theroof 186 of the handle 188, where the handle is pivotally mounted to theprimary housing 102. Specifically, the primary housing 102 includes anappendage 190 extending from the exterior of the cylindrical wall 166,opposite the funnel 106. The appendage 190 includes a pair of solidcylindrical projections 192 extending from opposite sides, proximate thetop of the appendage. In exemplary form, the solid cylindricalprojections 192 are received within corresponding cavities formed withinthe interior of the handle 188 so that the handle pivots about the solidcylindrical projections when actuated.

In order to actuate the handle 188, a user pushes against the curved,exterior portion 194 of the handle so that that the handle pivots on thesolid cylindrical projections 192. As the handle 188 is pivoted bypushing on the curved, exterior portion 194 and directing it toward thebottle 104, the solid, cylindrical projection 180 extending fromopposite sides of a pair of vertical walls 182 are repositioned along anarcuate path. This arcuate path allows the solid, cylindricalprojections 180 to be repositioned within the elongated through opening178 and correspondingly retract the piston 162 and piston ring 172within the interior of the cylindrical wall 166. While the handle 188 ispivoted to retract the piston 162 and piston ring 172 within theinterior of the cylindrical wall 166, an elastic strap 198 isconcurrently being stretched between a first mounting fixture 200 at thefront, top portion of the handle and a second mounting fixture 202located at the top of the funnel 106.

The elastic strap 198 includes two through holes 204 that are spacedapart from one another. Each hole 204 is adapted to receive one of thetwo mounting fixtures. The profile of the hole is inversely hourglassshaped so the hole diameter narrows from both the top and bottom to aminimum at the middle of the hole, in a vertical direction. In thisexemplary embodiment, the mounting fixtures 200, 202 each comprise arounded, hourglass shaped projection. The rounded nature of the mountingfixtures 200, 202 allows the elastic strap 198 to be stretched so thatthe holes 204 are deformed to accommodate throughput of the ends of themounting fixtures. After the holes 204 are deformed and the mountingfigures extend through the holes, the holes are then relaxed so that thenarrow part of the hourglass shape is where the strap 198 is seated tomount the strap to the mounting fixtures 200, 202.

When the elastic strap 198 is concurrently mounted to the handle 188 andhousing 106, the elastic strap 198 provides resistance to the pivotingmovement of me handle 188 and thus the retraction of the piston 162. Sowhen the user is no longer applying a sufficient force to the handle 188pushing it toward the bottle 104, the elasticity of the strap 198 causesthe handle 188 to be pulled away from the bottle and, thus, pulls thepiston 162 and piston ring 172 toward the orifice 164.

The components of the foregoing exemplary breast pump 100 may befabricated from various materials. For example, the housing 102 may befabricated from a polymer. The handle 188 may also be fabricated from apolymer. And so too can the bottle 108 be fabricated from a polymer.Obviously, the strap 198 is preferably fabricated from a resilientmaterial such as an elastomer. By way of example, the strap 198 maybefabricated from natural rubber, silicone rubber, and/or latex. But itshould be understood that different materials may be utilized and stillfall within the scope of the invention such as, without limitation,ceramics, glass, and metals.

Referring to FIG. 5, while the foregoing exemplary breast pump 100 hasbeen described using mounting fixtures 200, 202 that each comprise arounded, hourglass shaped projection, it is also within the scope of thedisclosure to use differently shaped mounting fixtures 230, 232. Forexample, the mounting fixtures 230, 232 may comprise a pair of J-shapedprojections that are oriented in parallel to provide a gap therebetween.Depending upon the angle, size, and spacing of the J-shaped projections,one or both projections 230, 232 may be received through correspondingholes 204 in the strap 198. In this alternate exemplary configuration,the J-shaped projections 230 extend from a front, top portion of thehandle 188 with the end of the J-shaped projections extending upward,whereas another pair of J-shaped projections 232 extend from the top ofthe funnel 106 so that the ends of the projection do not extend upward.And the alternate mounting fixtures 230, 232 may also accommodate analternate strap 234.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, this alternate strap 234 is adapted for usewith the alternate mounting fixtures 230, 232. In exemplary form, thealternate strap 234 is also at least partially elastic and includes aseries of transverse lengths 236 that intersect the primary longitudinalaspect of the strap 234 at generally right angles. The transverselengths 236 are generally evenly spaced apart. Once the strap 234 isstretched to be taught and a corresponding transverse length 236 iscaptured by each of the mounting fixtures 230, 232, the strap issecurely mounted to the handle 188 and the primary housing 102. In thismanner, the alternate strap 234 provides generally the samefunctionality as the primary strap 198

It is also to be understood-that while the foregoing embodiment andalternate embodiment have been described using components of a pistonpump, it is also within the scope of the invention to utilize componentsof a diaphragm pump.

Following from the above description and invention summaries, it shouldbe apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that, while themethods and apparatuses herein described constitute exemplaryembodiments of the present invention, the invention contained herein isnot limited to this precise embodiment and that changes may be made tosuch embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention asdefined by the claims. Additionally, it is to be understood that theinvention is defined by the claims and it is not intended that anylimitations or elements describing the exemplary embodiments set forthherein are to be incorporated into the interpretation of any claimelement unless such limitation or element is explicitly stated.Likewise, it is to be understood that it is not necessary to meet any orall of the identified advantages or objects of the invention disclosedherein in order to fall within the scope of any claims, since theinvention is defined by the claims and since inherent and/or unforeseenadvantages of the present invention may exist even though they may nothave been explicitly discussed herein.

1. A manual breast pump comprising: a pump housing defining ah inletorifice, an outlet orifice, and a pump orifice all in fluidcommunication with one another, the pump housing including a pumpchamber; a repositionable actuator disposed within the pump chamber andrepositionable within the pump chamber between a retracted position andan extended position; and a resilient band concurrently mounted to thepump housing and operatively mounted to the repositionable actuator. 2.The manual breast pump of claim 1, wherein the resilient band ispositioned external to the pump housing.
 3. The manual breast pump ofclaim 1, wherein the pump housing includes a hollow conical section,where an interior of the conical section at least partially defines theoutlet orifice and the pump orifice.
 4. The manual breast pump of claim3, wherein the pump orifice overlies the outlet orifice.
 5. The manualbreast pump of claim 1, further comprising a resilient valve mounted tothe pump housing and located downstream from the outlet orifice.
 6. Themanual breast pump of claim 5, wherein the resilient valve includes acylindrical wall that circumscribes a cylindrical wall of the pumphousing to form a compression fit to mount the resilient valve to thepump housing.
 7. The manual breast pump of claim 5, wherein: theresilient valve includes an internal conduit; and, the resilient valveincludes a pair of tapered walls that converge proximate a tip of theresilient valve, the tip including a slit allowing the tapered walls tobe repositioned in order to form selectively open and close the tip. 8.The manual breast pump of claim 1, further comprising a containermounted to the pump housing.
 9. The manual breast pump of claim 8,further comprising a resilient valve mounted to the pump housing andlocated downstream from the outlet orifice.
 10. The manual breast pumpof claim 1, further comprising a handle repositionably mounted to thepump housing and mounted to the repositionable actuator.
 11. The manualbreast pump of claim 10, wherein: the repositionable actuator includes apiston, the piston includes an elongated opening; and, the handleincludes a projection that is received by the elongated opening.
 12. Themanual breast pump of claim 10, wherein: the repositionable actuatorincludes a piston, the handle includes an elongated opening; and, thepiston includes a projection that is received by the elongated opening.13. The manual breast pump of claim 10, wherein: the repositionableactuator includes a piston, the pump chamber is partially defined by acircumferential wall, the circumferential wall defining a linear travelpath for the piston; circular, straight sidewalls; the pump chamber ispartially defined by a bottom wall, the bottom wall partially enclosingone end of the circumferential wall but for the pump orifice.
 14. Themanual breast pump of claim 1, wherein: the handle includes an S-shapedprofile; an end of the S-shaped profile of the handle includes aprotrusion having an hourglass-shaped profile; and, the resilient bandincludes a through opening that receives at least a portion of theprotrusion to mount the resilient band to the handle.
 15. The manualbreast pump of claim 1, wherein: the handle includes a handleprotrusion; and, the resilient band includes a through opening thatreceives at least a portion of the handle protrusion to mount theresilient band to the handle.
 16. The manual breast pump of claim 15,wherein: the pump housing includes a housing protrusion; and, theresilient band includes a second through opening that receives at leasta portion of the housing protrusion to mount the resilient band to thepump housing.
 17. The manual breast pump of claim 1, wherein: therepositionable actuator includes a piston; and, the piston includes acircumferential channel that receives an elastomeric piston ring. 18.The manual breast pump of claim 1, wherein the repositionable actuatorincludes a diaphragm.
 19. A manual breast pump comprising: a pumphousing defining a piston chamber and a conical conduit; a pistondisposed within the piston chamber and repositionable within the pumpchamber between a first position and a second position; and a resilientband concurrently mounted to the pump housing and operatively mounted tothe piston.
 20. The manual breast pump of claim 19, wherein: the pumphousing defines an inlet orifice, an outlet orifice, and a pump orifice;the piston chamber overlaps the outlet orifice; and, the conical conduitinterposes the piston chamber and a elastomeric valve downstream fromthe outlet orifice.
 21. The manual breast pump of claim 20, wherein: thepiston includes a convex distal end having a concave depression formedtherein; a bottom wall of the piston chamber is generally concave; thepump orifice includes a raised circular wall that extends into thepiston chamber and is received within the concave depression of thepiston when the distal end of the piston is adjacent the bottom wall.22. The manual breast pump of claim 20, wherein: the pump orificevertically overlaps the outlet orifice; and at least a portion of thepump orifice is located within the piston chamber.
 23. The manual breastpump of claim 19, further comprising a resilient valve mounted to thepump housing, wherein: the pump housing defines an inlet orifice, anoutlet orifice, and a pump orifice; at least a portion of the pumporifice is located within the piston chamber; and, the pump orificeoverlaps the outlet orifice and the resilient valve.
 24. A method ofoperating a manual breast pump comprising: repositioning a handle withrespect to a breast pump housing in order to reposition a piston withina chamber of the breast pump housing; wherein the repositioning stepincludes stretching an resilient band concurrently mounted to the breastpump housing and the handle.
 25. The method of claim 24, wherein: therepositioning step includes repositioning a piston within the chamberfrom a first position to a second position; the first position has thepiston deeper within the chamber than the second position; wherein theresilient band has a first length when the piston is in its firstposition; wherein the resilient band has a second length when the pistonis in its second position; and, wherein the second length is greaterthan the first length.